Earthen Path Organic Farm is an organic fruits, vegetable and herb farm that integrates permaculture and annual cropping strategies on 14 acres in the hill and Coulee country above the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota. We use extensive cover cropping with a multitude of different species, draft horses for much of our fieldwork and solar and wind power in an attempt to make this farm as independent as possible from non-renewable energy sources and purchased inputs.

We incorporate poultry (200 broiling chickens, 150 laying hens, ducks, geese, turkeys), sheep, horses, two Jersey milk cows and a couple of beef cows into a holistic, diverse system. This philosophy spills over into the surrounding community as we work with Full Circle Organic Growers Cooperative to support other small organic growers in our region as well as the general cooperative movement.

Kale, red Russian kale, red bore kale, lacinato kale, collards, green chard, red chard, rainbow chard, mustard, spinach-bunched or lose.

Green leaf, red leaf, Romine, green bid, read the Edmonton, speckled bib, red romaine, French crisp, des morges braun, rouge de hiver, salad mix

Peas, beans, sweet corn – (yellow, by color or white), strawberries, raspberries, slicing cukes, pickling cubes, burp less cukes, hot peppers, bell peppers-(green, red, gold/Orange, lavender/chocolate), tomatoes-(paste, slicing, heirloom, and gold or red cheery).

Curled parsley, Italian parsley, basil, cilantro, dill, arugula, sorrel, thyme, oregano, peppermint, spearmint, tarragon, chives, gobo (burdock), and medicinal herbs as requested (to ensure freshness.)

Broccoli, cauliflower, green cabbage, red cabbage, Savoy cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi

Beats-green top or bulk, carrots-green top or bulk, celery, parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, potatoes, cooking onions, red onions, sweet onions, table radishes, winter radishes, sunchokes, horseradish

Pie pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns, zucchini, summer squash, pattypan, winter squash-(Buttercup, honey delight, red kuri, Sugarloaf, delicate, sweet dumpling, butternut, acorn), red or yellow watermelons, and cantaloupe

Organic brown eggs, organically fed pasture geese, ducks, turkey, chicken and pheasants, certified organic beef-ground or steak, pasture raised beef-assorted cuts, and pasture raised pork

Fresh flour bouquets, single stem flowers-(sun flowers, Echinacea, gladiolus, peonies), everlasting flowers-(wreaths, bouquets), wheat weavings & handcrafts

Earthen Path Organic Farm will always be dedicated to taking care of it’s members’ needs by combining industriousness and creative adaptability with 25 years of experience in innovative and earth friendly growing methods.

Connect with us to the great drama that goes beyond the mere eating of food for nutrients, for as the farm goes through it’s seasonal dance with the forces of nature, weathering the storms and adverse times, flourishing in the interludes, the promises of seed planted and tended end up on your table.

You can follow the drama from Spring planting and the early greens and herbs, to late Fall freeze-up. Participate in an evolutionary structure that has arisen out of the need to recreate connection to the land, to it’s laborers, and to the communities on it, that are threatened by the industrial model.

Our earth conscience has led us to go beyond merely organic in its present limited definition, to raising questions about technology, energy and resource use and how it all relates to our community and local economy.

For this reason, you will see us using draft horses in the field, avoiding large fossil fuel dependant machinery, doing extensive cover cropping, using wind and solar technology, and working for the benefit of our rural communities. All of this you purchase in the price of some very tasty, nutritious fruit, veggies, eggs and poultry.

We have 3 to 6 apprenticeships available from April First thru November First and one or two apprenticeships from November to April. Apprentices beginning in April will learn all aspects of growing fruit, vegetable, and herb crops including planting, cultivating, biological insect control, companion crops, cover cropping strategies, harvesting and marketing through the CSA model, farmers markets, and delivery to co-op retail stores.

They will work in our greenhouse for retail bedding plant sales and the 50,000 plus plants we start for our own plantings. Apprentices will also learn and take turns with animal husbandry and chores.

From mid-to-late summer we will learn pickling, canning, freezing, cider making, as well as other homesteading skills like carding and spinning wool, carpentry, cooking and heating with wood, or music making. Winter apprentices will work with our community outreach program, tend to animal and firewood chores, and possibly learn furniture making in our woodshop. Beginning in January they will start working in the greenhouses.

"I arrived at Oak Center in early February 2003 and stayed until the beginning of August. My husband Beany and I had been thinking about starting our farm and wanted to get a taste of the skills and knowledge we would need to make it work.

The six months we spent at the farm were busy, but wonderful. We worked hard, listened to great music, and dined on fresh vegetables from the garden and snacks from the general store. We learned about the process of growing organic vegetables from starting the seeds in the greenhouse to harvesting the produce from the fields. In addition, we also had the opportunity to experience a few other new things.

I got to know the Oak Center community - the people who attend concerts on the weekends and show up at the farmer's market regularly. I helped take care of baby chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese. In the cold winter mornings we came in from chores and cooked breakfast on the black, wood burning stove. I was taught how to properly prune fruit trees. In the spring we hauled manure to the fields using a horse-driven manure spreader. We helped shear the sheep and saved their wooly winter coats for spinning. When summer came I watched as different flowers bloomed and helped make bouquets for the farmer's market.

As the months passed, my arms and back grew stronger from carrying, bending and lifting. At the same time I grew more confident that I wanted to continue this king of work on my own somewhere, someday. I appreciated being able to get involved in various aspects of the farm work. Steven and Susan allowed us to find our niches, and helped us to learn about any aspect of the farm, the Folk Forum events, and the general store that we were interested in. Most lessons weren't taught in a classroom setting. Instead, I learned mostly by observation, discussion and working together with Steve and Joe in the greenhouses and in the garden.

The work was both independent and team-oriented. Sometimes we needed to split up and each do different projects. Other times we would all focus on the same thing and work together.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience and the people that I met throughout my time there. I would recommend Earthen Path/Oak Center General Store to any one who is interested in learning about organic agriculture. If you enjoy physical work, are interested in community living, and have an appreciation for alternative energy sources (such as horse drawn power, wind energy, and wood burning stoves), then Oak Center would be a good fit for you."

--Joanne Roepke Bode
2003 Farm apprentice

All apprentices must be able and willing to do physical farm work, and live a somewhat communal lifestyle, taking turns at cooking and cleaning up. They should be self-motivated, hard-working and able to rise early in the morning on their own. We need people who are able to get along with others, nonsmokers, and neat and orderly in their living habits. A $100 to $300 monthly stipend is available after the first month of training, based and upgraded on the apprentice's abilities, work level and responsibilities. Room and board is provided.

The summer is officially here now as the solstice brings the longest day and shortest night. Rain has drenched the fields over and over again. Everyday the sun does shine, the plants seem to look up and say ‘thanks for helping me grow some….finally.’

After a day of wheelhoeing by the Earthen Path crew, plants are looking even happier and taken care of. Tomatoes finally went in this week followed by a night of steady light rain—a half inch total. They’re settling in and with the red mulch cover we’ll put over them, we hope to increase productivity and increase disease resistance.

Planting is almost complete, just peppers, summer squash, direct seeded carrots, Asian veggies, and another wave of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Strawberries are coming in strong. Call for u-pick times on the weekends.

Now, if the rain would stop, we’d really be in business! Good growing weather is the key.

Next week: Expect more strawberries and lettuce, dark leafy greens, and herbs with recipes.

Cornmeal Cake with Strawberries

(Makes one 9-inch cake, to serve 8)

For the cake:

Unsalted butter & cornmeal for preparing the pan
1¼ cup sifted cake flour
6 tbsp. yellow corn meal
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. unsalted butter at room temp.
1 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp grated lemon
½ c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 pts. of strawberries
sugar to taste
fresh lemon juice
1 c. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan dust with cornmeal and shake out with 2-inch sides then excess. In a bowl, stir together the cake flour, cornmeal, and baking powder and salt. Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar gradually and beat, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice, until creamy and light. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each one. Add grated lemon. Combine milk and vanilla extract. Then add dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with milk. Beat just until blended, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Bake until top is golden brown and firm to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool. Hull strawberries. Put half in large bowl and crush with a potato masher. Slice the remaining berries and add to bowl sweetening to taste with sugar. Add enough lemon juice to give the mixture a refreshing tart edge. Cover and chill. Just before serving, whip cream to soft peaks with two tsp. sugar. Cut the cake into 8 portions and transfer to serving plates. Divide berries and cream evenly among the portions. Enjoy!